Campaign smears and substance

Big Money for Big Smears

Jovanka has been targeted by smears in each of her campaigns. Once again, in the AD15 campaign, she faces powerful and wealthy opposition. The smears come not directly from her opponent. Rather, these attacks are launched by developers, big apartment owners, bankers, oil companies, pro-charter school organizations, opponents of public employees’ unions and other interests that don’t want to see Jovanka elected.

In previous campaigns their favorite tactic was to spread half-truths and lies. Our campaign expects them to do it again in three different forms:

Push-polling. Those are calls you get claiming to be polls, but which really serve as a way to stoke rumors. These have already been used.

Mass Mailingswhich repeat the lies. In 2014 there were at least 6 such mailings sent to every resident.

Planting stories in the media. This wealthy opposition also has the connections and the power to get established media to spread rumors. Some of the media are plain-old bought. For example the Richmond Standard, which is frequently cited as the source for many of the accusations against Jovanka, is actually wholly owned and run by Chevron.

Some of the attempted smears are distortions, some are silly, some are lies. These are current ones, with explanations: First are the short answers. For those who want more information we present the context and deeper explanation.

In Brief:

Smear: Jovanka yelled at and mocked a blind city council member

Distorted and False.

Following a City Council vote that permitted landlords to vastly increase rents on her constituents, shouting broke out as the meeting was recessed. Amidst the noise, Jovanka raised her voice to be heard, sharing her constituents' outrage at the Councilmembers who had callously voted against the renters. The meeting was recorded; nothing on the video suggests that Jovanka said anything discriminatory about anyone's disability or ethnicity.

Silly.

Smear: Jovanka opposes new home building

Not true.

Jovanka believes that new homes need to be built, but the policy emphasis needs to be on housing the homeless, protecting residents at risk of becoming homeless, providing housing for low-income Californians, and raising the stock of housing with an emphasis on affordability, not on profit-driven development. Jovanka has supported sustainable, affordable development in Richmond and supports new, affordable homes statewide.

Smear: Jovanka believes in mind-controlling space weapons

Not true.

Jovanka supported a City Council resolution embracing legislation before the US Congress called the Space Preservation Act at the behest of some local residents. Some of them did believe in space-based mind-control and individually-targeted space weapons, which attracted sensationalized reporting.

Smear: Jovanka lived high on the taxpayers’ dime

One lambchop does not make for high living.

Jovanka did once use a travel per diem for a conference meal that was expensive ($39.00). However, she had avoided spending on other meals to afford this one and she remained under the per diem amount.

Smear: Jovanka opposes vaccination

Not true.

Jovanka is a health professional, and takes public health seriously. She believes that vaccinations for children should be mandatory, except for those who are immuno-compromised or have other medical conditions.